Yep, They're Watching

You think the things that you do online are between you and your computer. Not so. Your cyber-privacy is constantly being chipped away: by your Internet provider, your cellphone carrier and lawmakers. Before you post to a social-media site or browse the Internet for that report you're compiling on pedophiles, keep in mind how your actions online are anything but private.

At issue is the struggle to protect privacy rights while fighting the online theft of American intellectual property.

Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives shelved its proposed Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA (H.R. 3261). The legislation's surface intent seemed sound: It would have given holders of music, films, books and other intellectual property copyrighted in the United States some teeth to stop its illegal distribution, even if that property was stored in an offshore server. But the bill required such sweeping enforcement that Google communications director Bob Boorstin said, "YouTube would just go dark immediately." If you were caught unwittingly posting a video of your niece singing along with the latest Taylor Swift tune, you could be blocked from Facebook and by your Internet provider and you'd have the burden of proving your innocence.

Hawaii's legislature recently considered a bill (HB 2288) that would have required Internet providers to track state residents' online activities and retain detailed records for at least two years. Internet providers, businesses and consumer-rights activists immediately protested the legislation, which is being revised.



Though SOPA was postponed indefinitely after tech-industry backlash, alternative legislation -- the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act, or OPEN -- was introduced last month in the House. It seeks to improve enforcement of copyrights online. If you access sharing or social-media sites, consider how -- if it becomes law -- it might affect you or the sites you patronize.

How much information about your online activities is tracked and/or sold depends on the policies of the Internet service provider and websites you use.

Google will roll out a new privacy policy March 1 that it says will streamline more than 70 privacy agreements into one cross-platform policy that's clearer and easier to understand. Opponents point out that it will allow any information you've shared or created on one Google platform -- Gmail, YouTube, Google+, etc. -- to be shared across all Google products.

The fear is that Google will soon have a "massive, all-inclusive database of your most private information, from your political leanings to your searches for prescription drugs. And there's nothing you can do about it, short of giving up your Google habit," Fox Van Allen wrote Jan. 25 on Tecca, a consumer tech website.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security solicited bids for building a network capable of monitoring "publicly available social media" to track potential terrorist activity. The department's "privacy impact assessment" -- at http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy_pia_ops_publiclyavail... -- said it would track only publicly available information, but it still makes me want to review my Facebook privacy settings.

In October, Verizon changed its privacy policy to detail what broadband-user information it collects and sells. It collects information on your Internet activity, downloaded apps, physical location and demographics -- stripped of your name and other personal identification -- and sells it to advertisers or anyone else willing to pay for it. Verizon is the most transparent of the carriers, which all likely engage in data gathering.

You may think that monitoring and selling information about your online activity isn't a big deal if it isn't tracked back to you. However, while your personal details may be stripped from data before it's sold, there's no telling what may be done with the information if it's maintained in databases that are out of your hands.

Alright enough talking, now tell us what you think.

 

Facebook Timeline Tips: Soon It Will be A Requirement

I've been dragging my heels about adopting Timeline, the Facebook profile introduced in September. I haven't wanted to accept that my comfy, familiar profile will soon be gone for good. But there's no delaying anymore: Facebook announced last week that "over the next few weeks, everyone will get Timeline."

Instead of waiting for Timeline to be sprung on you, I'd suggest that you jump in now and spend a few hours on www.facebook.com/about/timeline. Watch the tutorial video. Then click the "Get Timeline" button to get started, which I find preferable to logging in one day to a different layout.

Timeline makes sense. It aims to present your life in chronology, compiling your manual entries and status updates, threading them with photos and videos. Think of it as a huge digital photo album chronicling your life, with all the things you've posted to Facebook over the years. Your "News Feed" remains unchanged, so you can see your friends' status updates just as you're used to.

• Timeline changes only the layout, not your privacy settings or options.


• Once you switch to Timeline, you can't go back.


• Timeline will soon be a requirement and no longer an option. 

You'll have seven days to review what will be presented to your friends before it goes live -- unless you choose to have it go live sooner. During this time, you can fill out your timeline with important events, modify your entries and photos, and adjust settings on anything dredged up from your past that you don't want to make public. If you don't want your boss perusing the photos from your best friend's bachelorette party, you can hide them from your timeline or set their privacy settings to close friends only. Depending on how much you've shared on Facebook, this may be time consuming.

Instead of just having a profile picture, you can choose a "cover" image to set the theme for your profile page. It stretches across the top of your profile, and you can change it whenever you like.

Your Timeline appears below your cover, chronologically showing major events you've logged on your profile, photos, status updates and activities. You can jump to a specific year, or keep scrolling to see your Facebook life in one super-long, detailed page.

Expand a story by hovering over it and clicking on the star button in the upper right corner. Hide or delete it entirely by clicking on the pencil image. Add important events right where you want them on your Timeline, or insert additional status updates to explain photos or events that need context.

Apps linked to your account will show your recent activity, so the details of your last run, places you've visited, what you've watched on Neflix or listened to on Spotify will show up on your Timeline if you've linked them to your Facebook account. The same goes for game updates.

If scrolling through your whole Timeline seems daunting, use the "Activity Log" -- a quick preview page that lets you see everything you've posted to Facebook since you created your account.

You can control everything that is viewable on your Timeline, adding, removing, or hiding. Just don't work too hard trying to perfect your Timeline. Facebook will surely change again, just when you get used to the new version.

New Years Eve Resolutions For Your Computer

 
 
 
As we venture into 2012, let's resolve to ditch bad computing habits.

Resolve to stay viruses fre: This year, take the necessary steps to keep viruses and spyware off your computer. Every day, frustrated computer users call about slow systems that are bogged down with pop-up ads, re-directing them on the Internet, generating error messages or preventing booting up. The most common culprits are viruses and spyware or malware.

Le me repeat my mantra: Install a free anti-virus and anti-spyware program such as Microsoft Security Essentials, and set it to automatically download and install updates. If you haven't done this yet, make a post-holiday gift of antivirus to your computer.

Ignore Pop Ups: While you're at it, resolve not to open email attachments from unknown senders -- even if it most recently came from your sister. Don't click on pop-up ads (especially those professing that your computer is infected) or download programs or files from questionable sources. Trust me: The torrent site from which you're considering a download hasn't vetted the content to confirm that you'd really get a desired video or music file, free of viruses or spyware. Is that new Justin Bieber song really worth the risk?

Resolve to password protect: One of the easiest lines of defense in today's online world is to beef up your passwords. Instead of using a word found in the dictionary, consider using a phrase in which you replace some letters with numbers or symbols. For example, "N3rds Rule" is going to be far safer than your child's name or birthday. When setting up your password or security questions, steer clear of using any information easily found on your Facebook profile.

Instead of constantly changing passwords, you're better off having different passwords at different sites. One easy option is to make all your online retailer login and passwords different from your financial logins and those different from your email password. Remembering three passwords based on category is easier than remembering a constantly changing single password.

Resolve to protect your personal data: When it comes to identity theft and credit card fraud, thieves look for the easiest targets. Though there's no way to guarantee that you won't be a victim, you can make yourself more challenging than the majority of people making risky mistakes.

Resist the impulse to respond to unsolicited emails or phone calls, allegedly from your bank or credit card company, that want to confirm your personal information or credit card number. When in doubt, call the number on the back of your credit card to confirm the request is legitimate.

Create some "cyber distance" between your banking and online shopping, social media or news subscriptions by setting up a separate, secure email for your bank logins.

When creating an account at an online retailer, uncheck any boxes offering to save your data. If that website's server is compromised, you want to limit the personal information that a hacker can get and potentially link back to your other accounts.

For more tips on how to keep yourself safe and your computer happy in the new tear, drop me a note for more of what I've learned from years of making mistakes.

 

A Guide to Clearing Personal Data From Old Devices

Before You give away your computer or cellphone, make sure you permanently delete your personal information from the hard drive.

If you were fortunate enough to receive a new tech gadget this holiday season, it can be a great opportunity to donate or sell an older device that you no longer need. Before you send it off, keep in mind that most electronic items contain a wealth of personal information that you want to ensure doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Whether you're handing down your laptop to your teenager, giving your old phone to Uncle Fred, or donating your gadget to Goodwill, make sure you wipe your data off the device.

If you're passing along a hand-me-down computer or laptop to a trusted family member, performing a backup (to transfer your data to the new system), formatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows is the easiest way to return the system to factory-like condition. Many people think this is sufficient to wipe your data from the drive, but information is still retrievable using a data recovery software program.

What if your nephew decides to sell your old computer on eBay to fund his new iPad? It's important that you completely erase your data off a hard drive before you send it to a new home or into the unknown.

Instead of just deleting data, you'll want to use a program like DBAN  (free) to overwrite all of the partitions on your hard drive, which makes the information impossible to recreate. If you're donating a computer or laptop, I recommend pulling out and destroying the old hard drive so there's no risk of anyone gaining access to your personal information. Don some safety glasses, grab a hammer and get some revenge on the system that failed you.

Before handing off an old cellphone, pull the SIM card (if possible; Verizon doesn't use removable SIM cards) to disable the phone's ability to connect to a cell provider network and remove personal information. Also, make sure to remove any expansion memory cards. Your next stop should be ReCellular. Enter the make and model type of your phone, register and you'll be emailed detailed instructions to wipe the data off your device. If that doesn't work, check your phone's manual or the manufacturer's website for instructions to wipe the phone's drive. Dropping off the phone with your carrier will not ensure that your personal data is removed before your device ends up resold or donated.

The good news about MP3 players and tablets is that they typically use flash memory and store data in cloud applications or synched with your main computer instead of writing your data to a hard disk, so it's easier to wipe a device and return it to factory default settings. Most have an option through their general settings menu to reset all content and settings to the original state, wiping your files in the process. For a video tutorial specific to your gadget, check eHow.

Selling an electronic item that you no longer need can be a great way to earn a few bucks. Once you're confident that all traces of your personal data has been purged, make sure you clean and refurbish the device so you can get top dollar. Gazelle is a gadget-specific resource to sell or recycle your old toys. Because a third party inspects and confirms its condition before sending money on to the seller, buyers are often willing to pay a higher price than through the buyer-beware experience of Craigslist or eBay.

 

Christmas Gifts For Guy With Almost Everything

 
 
 
By: Andrea Eldridge.

I’d wager that just about everyone has a video game lover on their holiday list this year. From the armchair commando hunting down fellow players on Xbox live to the dedicated World of Warcraft dwarf, gaming has become a recreation activity for at least one or two members of most American households. As one of the few holdouts in my family that is not active in this virtual community, it can be challenging to find the perfect gift for the gamers in my life. After much polling and research, here are my suggestions to please just about any gamer, no game strategy guide book required.

Apparently the path to gaming nirvana for most console (Xbox, PS3, etc) and PC gamers is paved with discarded sub-par audio equipment. To truly immerse in the game, without disturbing the rest of your house (or neighbors, for that matter), a gamer is constantly searching for a great pair of headphones. One of the very best Christmas game gifts is a great pair of headphones. As a devoted WoW player, Heather (Nerd researcher) has tried out her fair share of headphones and settled on the Turtle Beach Ear Force X11 ( $60) which works with both PC and Xbox. While not wireless, the sound quality is constantly reviewed as outstanding and their lightweight design allows for hours of comfortable game play. Players that want to ditch the wires and hear every stealth footstep approaching from behind them in 7.1 surround sound may be happier with the pricier Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 (available at Amazon for $140). They are heavier and some users complain that there is occasional audio breakup (likely due to WiFi router interference). They also require two AAA batteries, which heavy gamers will blow through quickly. However, you won’t find a better wireless headset for under $150, at least according to the wealth of rave reviews.

Like Netflix for console gamers, GameFLY offers over 8,000 games for Xbox, PS3, Wii, PSP and more, delivered to your door with no late fees. For less than the cost of a typical new release, you can gift the gamer in your life three months of two games out at a time (which will run you about $50) so they can try out all the games on their wish list without shelling out $60 or so per game. Gift certificates are available in one, two, three, six, or twelve month increments, and plans can be for one or two games out at a time. Games in a member’s queue are automatically shipped out upon receipt of a returned game, so you can gift a constant supply of new games without having to puzzle over whether they’d prefer Assassin’s Creed Revelations or Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Instead of heading to the store for the must-have game, expansion pack, or strategy guide on your PC gamer’s list, consider gifting through Steam Powerd. Gift recipients must have an active Steam account, but if you suggest that they create a free account online and set up a “wishlist”, you won’t be left guessing which version of Call of Duty they want. Over 1,100 games and expansion packs are available for instant download and once installed Steam will keep them up to date with automatic patch and game updates, all with no monthly fee. Games purchased through Steam never expire and can be downloaded as often as needed to any computer with an internet connection. Members can take advantage of pre-release discounts, free play weekends, and a network of other gamers in the Steam community that they can group with, set up tournaments, or just strategize about how to overcome that nasty boss battle.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Links to all my holiday gift recommendations can be found at www.nerdsecret.com. If you’re still struggling to narrow down the perfect gift for your gamer, email us at nerdchick@callnerds.com. The sea of gamers that surrounds us has a virtually never-ending wish list of gamer delights for any platform.

 

Christmas Gift Ideas For Her.

One of the sweetest parts of giving a gift to someone you care about is that excited, “I love it!” response, especially when you know that it’s genuine. Sadly, it can be surprisingly elusive this time of year. With so many gadgets on your loved one’s must-have lists, how’s a holiday shopper to find the perfect gift that won’t get added to the return or exchange pile? Don’t resign yourself to that tired gift card. I humbly offer for your consideration my “Buy This, Not That” picks for the women in your life. Not to worry if your husband is harder to buy for than your mailman, next week will be dedicated to the gentlemen.

If your lady loves to curl up on the couch with her TIVO and surround sound, but curses when she’s trying remember that the stereo needs to be set to Video 1, don’t pick up just any universal remote. Make her love you more every time she turns on the TV and get her the Logitech Harmony 700 universal remote ( $90). Push the button labeled "Watch a Movie" and the remote turns on your TV, stereo and DVD player. Even better, it turns them all to the right channels and inputs. If something isn’t working correctly, press the "Help" button for a series of easy questions to solve the problem. The remote buttons also automatically control the correct device. For example, if you press the volume button it will adjust the stereo, not the TV. Press "channel up" while watching TV and it knows to change the channel on your DVR, not the TV. Switch from watching a movie to watching TV by pressing one button. The Logitech Harmony 700 Remote is simply the best universal remote you can buy for under $100. It recognizes up to six devices, has rechargeable batteries, and a sleek ergonomic design.

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Every year her New Year's Resolution is to shave off those "last 5 pounds," but short of taking the doughnut out of her hand (and possibly getting bitten in the process) is there any way to help her meet her goal? Instead of sessions with a personal trainer, consider the Fitbit Ultra ($100). The small, 3D clip-on exercise monitor tracks all of your daily activities, from steps taken to distance travelled, even number of floors climbed. The data is converted into an activity score based on goals you set, and seeing your score is surprisingly motivating. Wear it to bed to track sleep patterns, or use the Smartphone app to quickly record what you ate for lunch, and your overall health is translated into charts and graphs, including calories burned vs. calories consumed. Your data uploads wirelessly so you can track your progress over time and compare your stats with friends or the Fitbit Online community. I tested it out last year and found that it really did encourage me to take the stairs instead of the elevator, just to see my improved stats at the end of the day.

For the woman who has a bevy of gadgets (and these days, who doesn’t?), don’t just grab a universal charger at the electronic store check-out counter. The XeMilo ( $100) and perfect for anyone needing reliable power for an iPad (or other tablet), Smartphone, MP3 player, or any of more than 3,000 other gadgets. Charge up to two devices at once using an outlet, car, computer or even the sun. Smaller than the average paperback, it will likely fit in her purse. Need something beefier? Revolve is promising the release of the XeMax any day now, which will be the smallest universal battery charger capable of boosting a laptop (a rare find) and will retail at about $130. Never running out of power on a car trip with a cranky toddler may just be the best gift she gets this year.

Andrea Eldridge is CEO of Nerds on Call, which offers on-site computer and home theater set-up and repair. Based in Redding, Calif., it has locations in five states. Contact Eldridge at www.callnerds.com/andrea

 photo by:APM Alex

 

 

Holiday shopping for electronics? Nook vs Fire

 
 
 

One of the hottest items on many a gadget lover's holiday list is a tablet PC, often the iPad. Just in time to muddy the waters, two more budget-friendly tablet e-readers have arrived on the market. I'll review their pros and cons.

The primary draw of Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble's Nook tablet is undoubtedly price. The Kindle Fire starts at $199 and the Nook starts at $249 -- both considerably less than Apple's iPad2, which this week could be found online for $541 and up.

Both e-readers offer ultra-clear, 7-inch, full-color touch screens and weigh about 14 ounces.

Both devices have limitations. They're meant primarily for entertainment: reading e-books, streaming videos or music, and surfing the Internet. Unlike some versions of Apple's iPad, neither can access the Internet over 3G, so users will need an open WiFi network to take advantage of the device's full capabilities.

The Kindle Fire packs some impressive benefits at the lowest price on the market for a tablet alternative. Users can purchase virtually any media content -- music, movies, books -- from Amazon Marketplace, which has a broad selection comparable to the iTunes store. The Amazon Appstore for Android, an established alternative to the Android Market, offers most of the popular apps, including free daily downloads.

The Fire's main drawback is limited onboard storage -- a mere 8GB, of which only 6GB is available to the user. But Amazon-purchased content can be stored for free in the Amazon Cloud.

The Nook, costs $50 more than the Kindle Fire, carries some added benefits for the investment. It boasts twice the RAM (1GB vs. Kindle Fire's 512MB) and twice the onboard storage (16GB). Even better, it has a micro SD card slot, so users can expand the storage capability up to 32GB. Its USB slot lets users upload their own video, music, photo and text files. The device supports PDF and Word, so there's some added work-friendly functionality.

The Nook's main drawback is its lack of access to a large content source other than for e-books. Music and video have to be streamed through Netflix, Hulu or Pandora, or uploaded from your own library.

In choosing among tablets, your decision will come down to what you want to do with the device and whether you already have an established content library with Amazon or Barnes and Noble. To watch videos and hear music you already own, go with the Nook. However, the Kindle Fire makes it far easier to purchase new music and video content, and its app store has a huge selection of games and applications.

I'd put my money on the Kindle Fire, for the simple fact that tablets are entertainment-driven and Amazon offers a great selection at reasonable prices.